[Sanya]

Few posts between me and duong today caused me to open this one.

We can very often read or write ourselves that some player is lucky/unlucky. But apart from jokes and obvious trolling - do you believe in luck in tennis (let speak only about this beautiful game )? If yes, then in what it occurs?

Personally I don`t believe in luck when if we mean easy/"lucky" draws, bad days for opponents on regular basis, stable chokes and so on. Everyone deserves his own luck, as simple as that.

What do you think?

[Fujee]

Obviously.

[latso]

Luck is always equal to 0 in the long run. The main question - how long should the run be to get down to zero.

In tennis, imo luck counts a lot. And indeed it's mostly about the draws.

A few first round losses against bad draw top players could affect your confidence and get you in a whirlpool of bad decisions for your program, additional losses to lower ranked players and waste a big chunk of your season.

Of course, when you get 32 it won't matter anymore as you would have had enough chances to develop the way yu did and got the results you got, but in a matter of half a season, one season, sometimes more - luck could be the main reason for a great or horrible run.

[IOFH]

Of course. My favourite players never have it and the players I dislike/hate have nothing but it.

[nole_no1]

Luck is in everything

[Sanya]

Originally Posted by latso

Luck is always equal to 0 in the long run. The main question - how long should the run be to get down to zero.

In tennis, imo luck counts a lot. And indeed it's mostly about the draws.

A few first round losses against bad draw top players could affect your confidence and get you in a whirlpool of bad decisions for your program, additional losses to lower ranked players and waste a big chunk of your season.

Of course, when you get 32 it won't matter anymore as you would have had enough chances to develop the way yu did and got the results you got, but in a matter of half a season, one season, sometimes more - luck could be the main reason for a great or horrible run.

I should have written it. Point, set, maybe match can be won due to favourable circumstances, but "luck" is going the same ways "bad luck" does, you can`t hide.

[LoveFifteen]

On this message board, people frequently blame luck for the accomplishments of players that they hate. Luck is used to diminish certain players' well-earned accomplishments.

That being said, sometimes things happen that are very fortunate for a player, like a crucial point being decided by a net cord.

[Federer in 2]

There is luck, but it favors a random person each time. Naturally, after multiple lucky 'incidents', some players will be favored more than others.
But each player's chances of getting lucky at a given moment are absolutely equal. If Player A had 10 lucky net cords so far and Player B had none, they both have an equal chance of 50% to get the next let cord.

Is that what you meant?

[Sanya]

Originally Posted by Bashkatik

There is luck, but it favors a random person each time. Naturally, after multiple lucky 'incidents', some players will be favored more than others.
But each player's chances of getting lucky at a given moment are absolutely equal. If Player A had 10 lucky net cords so far and Player B had none, they both have an equal chance of 50% to get the next let cord.

Is that what you meant?

Duong compared Gasquet`s and Almagro`s seasons and saying that Almagro to his mind deserved it (Top-10 year-end) more, because as one of the reasons Gasquet was more "lucky". I don`t agree as a year, IMO, where players take part in many tournaments and play dozens matches is enough to nullify any "luck".

I like the first latso`s passage here, it`s all about run. I guess maybe during one tournament you can say that player was lucky/unlucky, but more...

For example, Murray lost 3 last matches from mps. Was he unlucky? Maybe after one I could agree, but 3 - looks to be not coincidence or randomness. Though this topic isn`t about some very situation, bit luck overall in relatively long run and how everyone understands this word speaking about tennis.

[arm]

Of course luck has a lot to do with it. A lot more than we dare admit, most of the times. And we have had so many situations in tennis showing us that. Obviously, as a fan, I mostly remember situations where Nole was lucky or unlucky.

USO 2007 final against Roger, 1st set, we had set points. He lost one set point because one of his shots was 1mm out. Had he won that set, the result might have been very different.

USO 2011, SF vs Roger, those MPs he defended. The first one, that return of serve, as awesome as the shot is in itself, it was still incredibly lucky. One shot, he approaches the ball 10 milliseconds later, the ball hits the racket 1 cm up or down, and it would be one less slam in his career.

Luck has a huge part in everything, not just tennis.

[The Bulldog]

I don't believe in someone having 'the force' for a certain match. Like Janowicz this week for example, or Rosol. I think they were so motivated and 'in the zone' that they were going to succeed. I think it's lazy to call it luck.

However I do believe in luck in individual points, like net chords, mis-hits etc.

[arm]

Originally Posted by The Bulldog

I don't believe in someone having 'the force' for a certain match. Like Janowicz this week for example, or Rosol. I think they were so motivated and 'in the zone' that they were going to succeed. I think it's lazy to call it luck.

However I do believe in luck in individual points, like net chords, mis-hits etc.

I agree. But the thing is, some individual points change the course of sets, even entire matches.

[BauerAlmeida]

Yes.

[Time Violation]

If you get a lucky net cord when you're 1-6 0-5, then it's not going to do you much good, is it? Of course, every bit helps and if a lucky shot or net cord happens on a big GS match, then naturally it's going to be remembered again and again

[Pirata.]

Roddick has been unlucky practically his entire career.